Rotary coin cleaner



March 8, 1966 y u 3,238,552

ROTARY COIN CLEANER Filed Nov. 13, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 54 INVENTOR [b nw/mfuasms K7061! ATTORNEYS March 8, 1966 E. E. VAUGHN 3,238,552

' ROTARY COIN CLEANER Filed Nov. 13, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ED140950 ZZGf/VE Kwwsm yqxm, 61% v MM,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,238,552 ROTARY COIN CLEANER Edward E. Vaughn, 3221 E. 60th, Kansas City, Mo. Filed Nov. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 323,373 Claims. (Cl. 97)

This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning and polishing coins, and has for a principal object the provision of an electrically powered rotary coin cleaner adapted to clean and polish coins with speed and efficiency. As will be evident, the invention will be of special value to numismatists, coin dealers and others.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotary coin cleaner adapted to clean coins in rapid succession, and to clean coins of various size. Further objects will be in part evident, and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention and the novel features thereof may best be made clear from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an exemplary em bodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the device of FIGURE 1, partly in section;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of a preferred coin holder for use in the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the coin holder of FIGURE 3, viewed from the lefthand side of that figure;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of alternative type of coin holder;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of the coin holder of FIGURE 5, taken along the line 66 thereof, and

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of an accessory useful for cleaning the edge of a coin.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, the illustrative embodiment includes an elongated housing 10 having an electric motor 12 mounted in one end thereof and a rotatable chuck indicated generally as 14 mounted in the opposite end thereof. Mounted in the chuck 14 is a solid cylindrical body of cleaning material 16, composed preferably of an eraser-like resilient vinyl material. The cleaning material body 16 may be composed of similar elastomeric materials, incorporating abrasive or polishing particles and the like.

As best shown in FIGURE 2, the housing 10 is supported near one end by a brace 18, and pivotally connected thereto by means of aligned hinges 20', whereby the housing and the elements associated therewith may rock or pivot about the horizontal axis of hinges 20. The brace 18 is in turn mounted on and supported by base mem ber 22.

A coil tension spring 24 is connected to and extends between the housing 10 and the brace 18 to one side of the axis of hinges 20, so as to bias the housing 10 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2. The spring 24 is designed to rotate the housing 10, when permitted, approximately from the horizontal relationship illustrated in FIGURE 2, thereby elevating the remote end of the housing and the chuck 14 associated therewith. When the machine is not in use, the housing 10 may be maintained in the horizontal position shown by means of the latch 26.

Inside the housing, a drive shaft 28 extends longitudinally thereof, supported by the sleeve bearing 30 which in turn is supported by the cross member 31 extending between the housing sides. One end of the drive shaft 28 is connected to the output shaft 32 of the motor 12 as by means of collar 34. At the other end of the drive shaft 28 is mounted a friction wheel 38, preferably formed of or surfaced with rubber or similar resilient material, and suitably held in place on the drive shaft 28 as by nuts 40.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the chuck 14 is mounted with its axis substantially vertical, at right angles to the axis of shafts 28 and 32. As shown, the chuck includes an inner sleeve 42 supported by bearings 44 and 46, which in turn are secured to a support plate 48 as by means of bolt 50. The support plate 48, as indicated in FIG- URE 1, extends between the sides of the housing 10. A horizontal disc-like driven member 52 is fixedly mounted on the upper end of the sleeve 42, as by means of setscrews 54, for rotation therewith. A retainer ring 56 encircling the sleeve 42 below the bearing 44 and maintained in place by setscrews S8 maintains the desired relationship of sleeve and bearings.

The cleaning material body 16 is maintained in desired position in the hollow sleeve 42 by means of a plurality of radially spaced elongated spring grips 60. Each spring grip 60 is provided with a V-shaped projection 62 intermediate its ends, which engages the inside wall of the sleeve 42 and acts as a fulcrum. The upper end of each spring grip 60 is connected to a cam lever 64 by means of a T-shaped member 66. The lower end of each spring grip 60 is outwardly rounded and curved, as shown at 68, and extends through an opening provided therefor in the end of the sleeve. As will be understood, the cam levers 64 act on the outer surface of the sleeve 42, and when they are in the locked position illustrated in FIGURE 2, the lower ends of the spring grips are biased inwardly to maintain the cleaning material body 16 in working position. When necessary to adjust the position of the cleaning material body to accommodate wear, or to insert a new body, the cams may be rotated upwardly to release position, thereby decreasing the gripping pressure of the spring grips 60. For convenience in inserting a cleaning material body 16 into the chuck 14, an aligned opening 72 may be provided in the top of the housing.

Below the chuck 14 and in general alignment with the axis thereof, a coin holder indicated generally as 74 is mounted on the base 22. As shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, a preferred embodiment of the coin holder comprises a pair of members 76 and 78 pivotally connected together by means of a hinge 80. Each member is provided with a stepped semi-circular recess 82, the respective recesses being complementary and adapted to receive coins of various size. A bolt 84 extends through each member 76 and 78, into threaded engagement with the complementary member, whereby the spacing between the members may be adjusted as desired. As will be understood, this permits firm engagement of coins in the various steps of the recesses 82.

While it is desirable to prevent the coin holder 74 from rotating, provision is made to permit longitudinal movement thereof, and to permit rocking adjustment. For this purpose, an elongated guide member 86 extends upwardly from base 22, the guide member extending longitudinally of the base generally below the chuck 14. The under sides of the coin holder members 76 and 78 together define a channel 90, adapted to enclose the guide member 86. Each coin holder member, on its under side outwardly of channel 90, is provided with an outwardly extending curved portion 92, generally convex in shape and extending to the base 22. The curved portions 92 normally rest on the base, and permit rocking adjustment of the coin holder to accommodate the pressure of the cleaning material body in operation.

An alternative coin holder is illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6. As there shown, the coin holder may comprise a cup-shaped member 94, provided on its upper surface with a recess 96 adapted to receive a coin to be polished. Desirably, the member 94 is made of the same substance as the cleaning material body 16. The member 94 may also be provided on its lower surface with a circular recess 100, adapted to enclose the upper end of a small pin 102 extending from the base 22. The recess 100 being materially larger than the pin 102, the coin holder 94 is permitted limited lateral movement from centered position in all directions.

Operation of the device Will now be described in connection with FIGURES 1-4. Initially, the latch 26 is released, whereupon the spring 24 elevates the outer end of the housing and the chuck 14 associated therewith.

The coin holder 74 is removed from the base, and the members 76 and 78 separated by means of bolts 84 to receive a coin to be cleaned, the coin being positioned in the recess step best adapted to receive it. By means of bolts 84, the coin holder members 76 and 78 are then displaced together, to firmly grip the coin, whereupon the coin holder is positioned on the base guide member 86 substantially in the path of the chuck.

Motor 12 is then energized by means of .a switch and appropriate electrical conductors (not shown) causing the friction wheel 38 to drive and rotate the driven disc member 52 and the associated chuck sleeve 42, and, of course, the cleaning material body 16 mounted therein. The cleaning material body 16 is adjustably maintained in place, with its lower end extending from the bottom of sleeve 42, by the spring grips 60 and cams 64, as will be readily understood. Thereupon, the operator may lay his hand on the outer end of housing 10 and move the housing downwardly, until the cleaning material body engages the coin with appropriate pressure, and this pressure is maintained until the coin is adequately cleaned. Desirably, the motor 12 is a reversible electric motor, so that the cleaning material body may be rotated in both directions in contact with the coin, to efficiently clean both sides of any projections extending therefrom. When the coin has been cleaned, the housing may be released and permitted to swing upwardly out of the way, whereupon the coin may be removed from the holder and reversed for a similar cleaning operation of the other side.

The motor 12 may be an adjustable speed motor, with suitable control-s, or if it is a constant speed motor, provision is made for .adjustment of the rotational speed of the cleaning material body. As shown in FIGURE 2, radial adjustment of friction wheel 38 with respect to the drive disc 52 may be effected by displacing drive shaft 28 axially in the collar 34, setscrews 104 being provided to locate the collar 34 and drive shaft 28 in desired positional relationship. Alternatively, the friction wheel 38 may be adjustably positioned axially of drive shaft 28 by means of nuts 40.

The coin holder illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6 facilitates placement of coins therein, and relies on frictional engagement to maintain the work piece in position. When cleaning a number of coins of identical size, the use of this coin holder will usually be more eflicient.

FIGURE 7 illustrates an accessory tool that may be used in conjunction with apparatus, for cleaning the edges of coins. This device comprises a pair of pivoted plier-like members 106 provided at corresponding ends with rotatably mounted disc-like members 108, adapted to grip and retain a coin 110 therebetween. When the coin 110 is engaged between the opposed members 108, the coin edge 112 may be cleaned by holding it against the rotating cleaning material body. 16 of the device. The coin may be permitted to rotate rather freely as driven by the cleaning material body, or its rotation may be restrained by .added pressure on the hand grips, to insure effective cleaning of the edge surface.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention a method and apparatus in which the various objects hereinbefore set forth, together with many practical advantages, are successfully achieved. As various possible embodiments may be made of the novel features of the above invention, all without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth is to be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

I-claim:

1. A rotary coin cleaner comprising a support base, an elongated housing mounted above said base for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, a chuck rotatable about a vertical axis mounted adjacent one end of said housing, means for resiliently, releasably and adjustably engaging a body of cleaning material in said chuck, an electric motor mounted in the other end of said housing, means drivingly connecting said motor to said chuck, a coin holder mounted on said :base in general alignment with the axis of said chuck, and means defining a generally disc-shaped coin receiving recess in said coin holder, said recess opening outwardly of said coin holder toward said cleaning material body for receiving a coin for presentation of a face thereof for cleaning by said cleaning material body.

2. A rotary coin cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for engaging said cleaning material includes a plurality of elongated spring grips mounted inside said chuck, pivotable camming means for deforming said spring grips toward the axis of said chuck to exert a clamping force on the cleaning material.

3. A rotary c-oin cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said coin holder comprises a pair of hingedly connected members each having a stepped arcuate recess for engaging coins of different size, and means for urging said members toward each other.

4. A rotary coin cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said coin holder comprises a pair of hingedly connected members each having a stepped arcuate recess for engaging coins of difierent size, and means for urging said members toward each other, and including an elongated guide member mounted on said base, the respective member of the coin holder together defining a recess enclosing said guide member, the undersurfaces of said members being generally convex to permit rocking movement of the coin holder on said base.

5. A rotary coin cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said coin holder is a cup-shaped member of cleaning material, and including means permitting limited lateral movement of said coin holder in all directions with respect to said base.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 163,683 5/1875 Norton 51217 216,308 6/1879 Cicott 5l-238.1 510,832 12/1893 Birkenstock 51109 X 1,005,694 10/1911 Cooper et al. 15--97 X 2,701,417 2/1955 Graham --36 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,333 2/1922 France.

CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Examiner. 

1. A ROTARY COIN CLEANER COMPRISING A SUPPORT BASE, AN ELONGATED HOUSING MOUNTED ABOVE SAID BASE FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, A CHUCK ROTATABLE ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS MOUNTED ADJACENT ONE END OF SAID HOUSING, MEANS FOR RESILIENTLY, RELEASABLY AND ADJUSTABLY ENGAGING A BODY OF CLEANING MATERIAL IN SAID CHUCK, AN ELECTRIC MOTOR MOUNTED IN THE OTHER END OF SAID HOUSING, MEANS DRIVINGLY CONNECTING SAID MOTOR TO SAID CHUCK, A COIN HOLDER MOUNTED ON SAID BASE IN GENERAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE AXIS OF SAID CHUCK, AND MEANS DEFINING A GENERALLY DISC-SHAPED COIN RECEIVING RECESS IN SAID COIN HOLDER, SAID RECESS OPENING OUTWARDLY OF SAID COIN HOLDER TOWARD SAID CLEANING MATERIAL BODY FOR RECEIVING A COIN FOR PRESENTATION OF A FACE THEREOF FOR CLEANING BY SAID CLEANING MATERIAL BODY. 